Sheet-turning device



July 22. 1924. 1,502,176

J. D. CONT! SHEET TURNING DEVICE Filed Feb. 23 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1July 22, 1924.

J D. CONTI SHEET TURNING DEVICE Filed Feb. 23. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 v ilmvelefor, D.

fill dab/m Jul 22, 1924.

J. D. CONT! SHEET TURNING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 23 l9Patented July 22, 1924.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN D. CONTI, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

SHEET-TURNING DEVICE.

Application filed February 23, 1921.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that 1, JOHN D. CONTI, a subjectof the King of Italy, residing at Philadelphia, in the county ofPhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sheet- Turning Devices, of which the following isa specification.

One Object of my invention is to provide an improved device which willbe especially serviceable for musicians for the purpose of turningsheets of music; the device being constructed so that the musicians canturn the sheets without using his hands and without interruption duringthe rendition of a musical selection.

Another object is to so construct my improved device that it will bepositive in its action and will not injure the sheets during the turningaction. I

A still further object is to construct my improved device in suchmanner'that it will be automatically adjustable so as to be used inconnection with various numbers of sheets and will always operate toturn the outermost sheet from a position at one side of a hinged supportto a position at the op posite side of said support.

These objects, and other advantageous ends which will be describedhereinafter, I

attain in the following manner, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings in which Figure l is a front elevation of a sheetmusic standhaving my invention applied thereto,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an enlarged fra mentary section taken on the line 3 3 ofFigure 1,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary rear view looking in the direction of thearrow at in Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 55 of Figure4,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary plan View showing how the main swinging arm isslidably keyed to an actuating shaft with the extreme upperportionremoved to reveal the slidable connection,

Figure 7 is a fragmentary front view showing certain of the parts of myinvenplan tion in a normal position ready to be moved Serial No.447,026.

rier having been moved into a separating position between the outermostsheet and th sheet to the rear thereof,

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional plan view showing the sheet beingturned from the position shown in Figure 8,

Figure 10 is an elevation showing the position of the carrier after thesheet has been turned; said carrier moving upwardly to clear the top oftheturned sheet so as to permit the return movement of the carrier intothe position shown in Figure 7,

Figure 11 is a fragmentary section taken on the line 1111 of Figure 7and Figure 12 is a section taken on the line iz'/12 of Figure 6.

Referring to the drawings, 18 represents a sheet-music stand having ahollow post or standard 14; said standard being supported by feet 15;the upper end of the standard having braces 16 secured to a supportingboard or desk 17 for the sheets18 of music. These sheets, in the form ofmy invention illustrated, are secured to the desk 17 by means of splitrings 19 which extend through holes 20 in the sheets 18; the rings 19being secured to the desk in any suitablemanner and capable of beingopened to permit the sheets to be removed therefrom or other sheetssubstituted or added. The desk 17 is mounted in an inclined position andabove th level of the sheets 18 has an aperture 21. The sheets 18-arepreferably provided at their upper left hand corners, Viewed from Figure1, with hoods 22 which are preferably madeof very thin sheet metalfolded over the top edges 23 of the sheets so as to provide areinforcement and serve as a relatively stiff indestructible portion forengagement with a carrier which forms a part of my invention; the hoodseach having at least one of the holes 20 through which a ring 19extends. The desk 17 is preferably provided with a lug 24 adapted toengage through the sheets and hoods; the sheets and hoods each having ahole 25'adjacent its upper surface and spaced from the holes 20 so as toserve as an additional support for proper alignment of the top edges 23of the sheets.

An actuating rod 26 is rotatably mounted in bearings 27, 28 and 29 whichare secured to the rear of the desk 17 and a sleeve 30 is freely.rotatable on the shaftf26 and is positioned betweenthe bearings 28 and29 so that the bearings 28 and 29 take up thrust for the opposite endsof the sleeve 30 as will be obvious from the following description.

The sleeve 30 has a curved actuating wheel or pulley 31 to which issecured one end of a cable 32; said cable passing over a guide pulley 33and extending down through the inside of the hollow standard 14. Thelower end of the cable 32 is connected to a treadle 34. The sleeve 30has a torsion spring 35 wound thereon at opposite sides of a collar orflange 36; the coils of the torsion spring at opposite sides of saidflange being wound in opposite directions; the flange 36 serving asmeans of attachment for a portion 37 of the spring between the coils;said flange having a notch 38 to admit said portion 37 of the spring.The opposite ends of the spring are secured to the rear of the desk asclearly shown in Figure 4.

The sleeve 30 has a cam slot 39 formed therein; said cam slot at itslower portion having a notch 40 and from the notch 40, the cam slotextends upwardly in the form of a V so as to provide a surface 41slanting upwardly in one direction and a surface 42 slanting upwardly inan opposite direction. The shaft 26 has a pin 43 projecting therefrominto the cam slot 39 and another pin 44 which projects into the slot 45in the bearing 29, all as clearly shown in Figure 4. The slot 45provides an abutting edge 46 at one side and an abutting edge 47 at theopposite side; said abuttingedges being adapted to be engaged by the pin44. The" slot 45 is of sufficient height to permit the pin 44 to move upand down during an upward and downward movement of the shaft asprescribed by the cam slot 39 during the action of the device.

, A spring 48 engages between the lower flanged end 49 of the shaft 26and the lower edge of the bearing 29 and serves to inrpart a downwardmovement to the shaft 26 when allowed to do so by the action of the camslot 39 and pin 43. v

The upper end 50 of the shaft 26above the bearing 27 is cutaway toprovide two parallel sides 51 as shown in Figure 6. This end portion 50extends through a slot 52 in a main swing arm 53; the main swing armresting on the shoulder portion 54 pro vided by the cutting away of theportion 50. The portion 50 extends slightly above the top surface of themain swing arm 53 and a screw cap 55 is screwed into the top of theportion 50 so as to prevent the swing arm from lifting completely off ofthe portion 50 but at the same time permitting said swing arm to slideon the part 50 to the extent of the length of the slot 52 if necess'a-ry; The portion 56 of the shaft 26 from which thepart 50 projects,is slightly less in diameter" than the remaining part of the shaft so asto provide a shoulder 57 as shown in Figure 3. The portion 56 is adaptedto freely rotate in an auxiliary arm 58 which projects into the aperture21 of the desk and at its forward end is bifurcated as shown at 59, thefurcations of which have holes through which a fixed pin in the desk 17extends; the bifurcated portion 59 of said auxiliary arm being adapted,during the action of the device, to move upwardly and downwardly on thepin 60 and the pin 60 is mounted substantially concentric with the axesof therings 19 which secure the sheets 18 to the desk; said positionbeing clearly illustrated in Figures 3 and 5.

A combined adjusting and guiding finger 61 is positioned between thefurcations of the auxiliary arm 58 and has a hole through which a pin 60extends. This finger 61, however, is capable of freely swinging on'thepin 60 as a pivot. The outer end of the finger 61 is hinged to a carrier62; the hinge including a spring 63 which tends to move the carrier 62and finger 61 in straight alignment, which action however is preventeddue to sheet-engaging'portions with the sheets 18 as will hereinafter bedescribed.

The top of the carrier 62 includes an elongated undercut slot 64 inwhich a headed pin or extension 65 of the main swing lever 53 extends;it being noted that the swing lever 53 is connected 7 to the carrier 62through the medium of the pin and slot connection just described. Thelower portion of the carrier 62 has 'a sheet-separating portion'66 inthe form of a thin elongated blade and a depending portion 67 whichserves to abut the outer surface of the hood 22 of the sheet which is tobe turned. This portion 67 is also illustrated in the form of a blade ofgreater depth than thesepara'ting blade 66-; the blades 66 and 67 beingspaced apart a distance equal to the thicknessof each one-of the hoods22. In other words, when the inner surface of the blade 67 is inengagement with the outer surface of the sheet to be turned, the blade66 will be directly above the parting of said hood and the hoodimmediately to the rear thereof as clearlyshown in Figure 11; thedrawings only showing two sheets attached to the desk.

It will now be understood that inview of the connection between thefinger 61 and the carrier 62 that it will always be possible for theblades 66 and 67 to assume positions parallel with the hood of theoutermost sheet which is to be turned since the finger 61 is capable ofswinging into various positions to accommodate various numbers ofsheets;considering also the fact that the main swing arm has thepin and slotconnection with the carrier 62.

To operate the device and considering that the 'parts' are in theirno'mal positions, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7 and 11, a

tions of the surface 41 of the cam slot 39' and this downward movementof the shaft 26 will continue until the pin 43 engages in the lowernotch 40 of said cam slot 39. During this downward movement of the shaft26 the sheet-separating blade 66 will move with the outer sheet.

to separate the sheet which is to be turned from the sheet immediatelyto the rear thereof in a manner shown in Figures 8 and 12; it beingnoted that when the shaft 26 moves downwardly as just described, it willpull down with it the main swing arm 53, the auxiliary arm 58 and thefinger 61 and since the carrier 62 is secured to the finger 61 and swingarmr53, the carrier will be lowered bodily and in a position parallel Acontinued downward movement of the treadle 34 will rotate the shaft 26through the medium of the pin 43 which is held in the notch 40 of thecam slot 39 and this action will cause the swing arm 53 to swing thecarrier 62 as shown in Figure 9; it being noted that the finger 61 willfollow the swinging action and the sheet will be turned. During thelatter part of the swinging movement, the pin 44 will engage the edge 47of the bearing slot 45 and stop the rotatable movement of the shaft 26and cause the pin 43 to ride up on the surface 42 of the cam slot 39 soas to free the blade 66 and 67 of the top edge of the turned sheet.Figure 10 shows the parts in this latter mentioned position. It will benoted that during this turning movement of the sleeve, the spring 35will be wound under tension and when the treadle 34 is released, thespring 35 will turn the sleeve 30 in an opposite direction causing thecable to be re-wound on the pulley 31 and during this latter action, thepin 43 will be moved down and the shaft 26 will be consequently loweredand then raised to move the carrier into such position that the blade 67will engage the outer surface of the sheet next to be turned and theblade 66 will be positioned at a level above the top of said lattermentioned sheet. I

By the provision of the spring connection as above described it isobvious that when the blade 67 is in its normal position abutting theouter surface of the sheet next to be turned that said blade is alwaysunder tension. For example if there were no sheets on the desk, theblade 67 would move directly against the outer surface of the desk andthe blade 67 would move into the aperture 21. Furthermore, as previouslystated, the finger 61 due to its hinge and pivot mounting will adjustitself and the adjacent end of the carrier to suit the thickness of apack of the sheets and allow for a follow up action as the pack ofsheetsto be turned becomes gradually thinner as the P sheets aresubsequently turned. v

While I have described my invention as taking a particular form, it willbe understood that the various parts of my invention may be changedwithout departing from the spirit thereof, and hence I do not limitmyself to the precise construction set forth, but consider that I am atliberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly come within thescope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what- I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is 1. A sheet turning device including -a desk;a shaft mounted on the desk; an auxiliary arm pivotally mounted on theshaft; a carrier pivotally connected with the auxiliary arm and havingabutting and supporting blades adapted to engage a sheet; a swingablearm carried by the shaft and engaging with the carrier, and means forimparting longitudinal and rotary movement to the shaft to cause theblades .to engage and turn a sheet.

2. A. sheet turning device including a desk, an actuating shaft, acarrier supported from the shaft and having abutting and separatingblades spaced apart and adapted to engage a sheet; a swingable armcarried by the shaft; a pin and slot connection be tween the swingingarm and the carrier, and means for imparting longitudinal and rotarymovement to the shaft to cause the blades to engage and turn a sheet.

3. A sheet turning device including a desk, an actuating shaft, acarrier supported from the shaft and having abutting and separatingblades spaced apart and adapted to engage a sheet; a pin on the desk; anauxiliary arm pivotally mounted on the shaft and having a bifurcated endthrough which the pin passes; and a guiding finger hinged to the carrierand pivoted on the pin between the furcations.

4. A sheet turning device including a desk, an actuating shaft, acarrier supported from the shaft and having abutting and separatingblades spaced apart and adapted to engage a sheet; a pin on the desk; anauxiliary arm pivotally mounted on the shaft and having a bifurcated endthrough which the pin passes; a guiding finger hinged to the carrier andpivoted on the pin be-' tween the furcations; and a spring adapted tokeep the carrier and finger in alignment.

5. A sheet turning device including a desk; an actuating shaft mountedfor rotary pin and-limit the movement of theshaft;

and longitudinal movement; a pin extending from the shaft; a sleeverotatably mounted on the shaft but secured against longitudinal movementrelatively tothe desk; a cam carried by the sleeve having upwardlydiverging faces; a pin extending from the shaft and engagingwith thecamsurface whereby rotation of the sleeve will cause upward movement'of thepin and-shaft; means for imparting rotary movement to the sleeve; meansfor restoring the sleeve-to its idle position; a carrier supported fromthe shaft and having abutting and'separating a spring norinallyholdingthe shaft in its downward position; means for imparting rotary motion tothe sleeve; means for re storing the sleeve to its idle position; acarrier supported from theshaft and having abutting and separatingblades, and means carried by the shaft to cause the blades to engage andturn a sheet.

7. A sheet turning device including a desk; a shaft mounted on the desk;an auxiliary arm pivotally mounted on the shaft; a carrier pivotallyconnected with the auxiliary arm and having abutting and support ingblades adapted to engage a sheet; a swingable arm carried by the shaftand having a slot and pin connection with the carrier, and means forimparting longitudinal and rotary movement to the shaft to cause theblades to engage and turn a sheet.

8. A sheet turning device including a desk; a shaft mounted on the desk;an auxiliary arm pivotally mounted on the shaft; a carrier pivotallyconnected With the auxiliary arm and having abutting and supportingblades adapted to engage a sheet; a swingable arm mounted to swing withthe shaft and slidable thereon,- said armhaving a slot and pinconnection with the carrier and means for imparting longitudinal androtary movement to the shaft to cause the blades to engage and turn asheet.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

JOHN D. CONTI. Vitnesses A. GLEMENTS, Y P. Pnos'rnno.

